This issue of the Legislative Update is a comprehensive review of all legislation prefiled by the General Assembly for the 2010 session. It is a report intended to provide a brief synopsis and is generally categorized for ease of review. Please refer to the actual text of the legislation for detailed provisions.

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Administration
of the Government

Employer. S. 996 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 1-13-80 of the 1976 Code, relating to unlawful employment practices, to provide that it is an unlawful employment practice for an employer to using an individual's credit report or credit history as the basis to fail or refuse to hire, bar, discharge from employment or otherwise discriminate against an individual with respect to the individual's compensation or terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, and provide that it is not an unlawful employment practice for an employer to consider an individual's credit history under certain circumstances. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Governor. S. 901 Senator McConnell: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 1-3-630, so as to define "emergency," "full authority," and "temporary absence" in order to clarify when a lieutenant governor has the full authority to act in an emergency in the event of the temporary absence of the governor from the state. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Human Affairs Commission. H. 4288 Rep. Spires: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 1-13-120 so as to authorize the State Human Affairs Commission to assess a civil penalty for violations of Chapter 13, Title 1, and to provide that the revenue from this penalty be deposited in the General Fund of the state and appropriated by the General Assembly as it considers necessary. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Obesity Treatment and Management Act. S. 952 Senator Jackson: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 1-11-790 so as to enact the "South Carolina Obesity Treatment and Management Act" to create a program designed to address the problem of the high rate of obesity in South Carolina through the use of bariatric surgery, among other methods and treatment options, to provide the program must be developed through the State Health Plan by the State Budget and Control Board, to create the Bariatric Advisory Board and to provide the composition and responsibilities of the Board, to provide when a person may be eligible for participation in the program and when a medical center or hospital may provide a service under the program, to provide limits on the number of people the program may accept during its first two years of operation, to provide a reporting requirement at the end of the program's first two-year period of operation, to ensure the least initial cost to the state in the first two years of the program's implementation, eighty-five percent of participants must be eligible for gastric banding such as lap bands, and to provide on a future date a benefit provided under this program is available to a participant in the state health plan who is eligible for the program under criteria established in this section. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Airports and Landing Fields. H. 4187 Rep. White: A bill to amend § 55‑9‑190, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the powers that an entity has to establish an airport or landing field or acquire, lease, or set apart property for that purpose, so as to delete a provision that limits the term of a lease of airports or landing fields to private parties for operation. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Sale of Alcohol. H. 4211 Rep. Bales: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 61‑2‑270 so as to provide a local governing body the authority to limit or regulate the hours of operation on a reasonable basis of certain establishments licensed to sell beer, wine, or alcoholic liquors for on-premises consumption and to define the term "local governing body". Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Wineries. H. 4204 Rep. McLeod: A bill to amend § 61‑4‑730, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to sales by permitted wineries, so as to delete the requirement that the permitted wineries must produce the wine it sells and ships with a majority of the juice from fruit and berries grown in the state and to allow the shipment out of state of wine produced from the winery location. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

Animal Restraint. S. 958 Senators Knotts and Davis: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 47‑1‑45 so as to make it unlawful to knowingly or intentionally confine or restrain an animal in a cruel manner or knowingly or intentionally cause such cruel confinement or restraining of an animal, to define certain terms in regard to the above, to provide penalties for violation, and to provide that local governments may adopt more stringent local ordinances governing the confinement or restraining of an animal with civil penalties for violations. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Pet Inoculation. S. 913 Senator Land: A bill to amend § 47‑5‑60 of the 1976 Code, relating to pet inoculation against rabies, to raise the maximum fee allowed to be charged from three to six dollars. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Polo Horse Drug Compounds. S. 948 Senator Verdin: A bill to repeal § 47‑9‑65 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 75 of 2009, relating to polo horse drug compounds. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Appeals from Magistrate Court. H. 4215 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend § 18‑3‑30, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the appeal of a decision of a magistrate, so as to provide that an appellant must serve a notice of appeal of a decision of a magistrate upon the officer or attorney who prosecuted the case in addition to the magistrate who tried the case. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Community Economic Development Act. S. 915 Senators Land, Anderson, Nicholson, Leventis, Elliott, Williams, Sheheen and Setzler: A bill to amend Act 314 of 2000, to terminate the provisions of the South Carolina Community Economic Development Act on June 30, 2015. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Child Abuse. S. 957 Senator Knotts: A bill to amend § 63‑7‑20, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the definition of terms pertaining to child protection and permanency, including the definition of child abuse or neglect, so as to provide that abuse or neglect may occur when a person responsible for a child's welfare has engaged in intermittent but ongoing abuse and neglect presenting a substantial risk of abuse or neglect and warranting preventive intervention services and such other services as may be in the best interest of the child. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Childcare Facilities. H. 4265 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend § 63‑13‑180, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the Department of Social Services promulgating regulations concerning the licensure and regulation of childcare facilities, so as to clarify that a procedure that must be followed by representatives of the Department of Social Services in receiving and recording complaints must be promulgated in regulation; and to require the Department to promulgate regulations establishing a voluntary rating system for childcare facilities licensed or registered by the Department and to prohibit the Department from requiring such facilities to participate in such a rating system. Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs.

Grandparent Visitation. S. 934 Senator Reese: A bill to amend § 63‑3‑530, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to family court jurisdiction in domestic matters, so as to revise grandparent visitation provisions by providing that, at a minimum, grandparents must be allowed seventy-two hours of visitation each six months with a grandchild up to age sixteen unless the court finds it is not in the best interest of the child. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Grandparent Visitation. S. 981 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 63‑3‑530, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the jurisdiction of the family court, including jurisdiction to order visitation for grandparents, so as to provide that the court may order grandparent visitation if the court finds that the child's parents are depriving the grandparent visitation with the child and that the parents are unfit or that there are compelling circumstances to overcome the presumption that the parental decision is in the child's best interest. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Attorneys. H. 4217 Rep. G. M. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 15‑77‑60 so as to restrict an attorney, his law firm, and any of the law firm's entities or subsidiaries from representing the state for three years after the filing of a lawsuit against the state in which the attorney or the firm is engaged. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Evidence. H. 4206 Rep. G. R. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 15‑1‑305 so as to allow the introduction of evidence in a civil action of the use of a cell phone or other electronic handheld communications device at the time of a motor vehicle accident and to provide exceptions. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Insurance. S. 1001 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 1, Title 15 of the 1976 Code, relating to civil remedies, by adding § 15‑1‑315 to provide that a licensed driver who voluntarily transports seniors or persons with disabilities in an insured vehicle is not liable beyond the limits of his automobile liability insurance coverage for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of the transportation services in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Debt Collection and Recovery Agencies. H. 4264 Rep. Kirsh: A joint resolution to create a study committee to review, study, and make recommendations concerning the licensure and regulation of debt collection and recovery agencies, to provide for the membership of the study committee, and to require the study committee to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than February 1, 2011, at which time the study committee is abolished. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Personal Property Recovery Act. H. 4284 Rep. Cobb-Hunter: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Chapter 14 to Title 37 so as to enact the "Personal Property Recovery Act" which establishes the licensure and regulation of recovery agencies and recovery agents by the Department of Consumer Affairs by, among other things, providing licensure requirements, including fees, surety bonds, and record keeping requirements, grounds for denial, revocation, or suspension of a license, license renewal procedures and requirements, including continuing education, personal property recovery procedures, and civil and criminal penalties for violations. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Streets. H. 4260 Rep. R. L. Brown: A bill to amend § 57‑9‑10, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to petitioning a court to abandon or close a street, road, or highway, so as to provide that notice of intention to file a petition must be posted along the street, road, or highway. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Nonprofit Organizations. S. 1014 Senator Jackson: A bill to amend § 33‑31‑1402, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to dissolution of nonprofit corporations by directors, members, and third persons, so as to provide that before the Secretary of State may accept for filing articles of dissolution of an existing nonprofit religious or charitable organization executed by a person authorized by this section to take such action, the secretary of state shall require this person to attach an affidavit to the filing where the person under oath subject to a penalty of perjury certifies that he holds the requisite authority to take such action. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Parole. S. 972 Senator Campsen: A bill a bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 24‑21‑705, so as to provide that, upon receipt of the notice of a parole hearing, the victim and members of the victim's immediate family, may submit written statements to the Board of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, and to provide that the statements must be considered by the Board in making its determination of parole, and to provide that the statements must be retained by the Board and must be submitted at subsequent parole hearings. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Prisoners. H. 4262 Rep. Dillard: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 24‑13‑180 so as to provide that certain persons who are confined in a local or state correctional facility shall submit to an HIV test before their expected date of discharge from the facility, and to provide that a person who tests positive for HIV must be provided counseling relating to living with this condition after his release from custody. Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs.

Probation. S. 904 Senator McConnell: A bill to amend § 24‑21‑410, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, related to the placement of a defendant on probation, so as to provide that if the defendant is convicted of or pleads guilty to an offense involving a violent act against a person or the taking of property from a person, and the defendant is placed on probation, the defendant may not be placed on probation for any subsequent offense. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Wireless Communication Device. H. 4191 Rep. Kirsh: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 24‑3‑955 so as to provide that it is unlawful for a person to possess a wireless communications device on the premises of a Department of Corrections facility under certain circumstances and to give or sell a wireless communications device or its components to an inmate or to a person for delivery to an inmate, and to provide penalties for violations of this section. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Biennial Session. S. 1003 Senator Rose: A joint resolution to propose an amendment to Section 9, Article III of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895, relating to sessions of the General Assembly, to provide for the biennial session of the General Assembly, to provide for a sine die adjournment date, to provide the means and the limit to which the sine die adjournment date may be extended, and to provide for the convening of the first biennial session. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Censure Resolution of Governor Sanford. H. 4219 Rep. Harrison: A concurrent resolution to censure Mark C. Sanford, Jr., Governor of South Carolina, for dereliction in his duties of office as Governor and for official misconduct that has brought dishonor to himself, the State of South Carolina, and to its citizens. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

General Assembly. H. 4275 Rep. Haley: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 7, Article III of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to qualifications of members of the Senate and House of Representatives, so as to provide that beginning with the general election of 2012, any person who has served at least four full terms in the House of Representatives or who has served at least twelve years in the General Assembly in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, is not eligible to serve as a member of the House of Representatives, and to phase this provision in on a staggered basis based on House seniority; and to provide that beginning with the general election of 2012, any person who has served at least two full terms in the Senate or who has served at least twelve years in the General Assembly in either the House or the Senate, is not eligible to serve as a member of the Senate, and to phase this provision in on a staggered basis based on Senate seniority. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Governor. S. 899 Senator McConnell: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article III of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, by adding Section 37, so as to provide that the Senate must elect from among its members a president of the Senate to preside over the Senate and to perform other duties as provided by law; proposing an amendment to Section 8, Article IV, relating to the election, qualifications, and term of the Lieutenant Governor, so as to provide for the joint election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor; proposing an amendment to Article IV, relating to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, so as to delete Section 9, which provides that the Senate must choose a President Pro Tempore and which also provides that a member of the Senate acting as Lieutenant Governor vacates his seat and another person is elected in his stead; proposing an amendment to Article IV, relating to the Lieutenant Governor as President of the Senate, by deleting Section 10, which provides that the Lieutenant Governor is the President of the Senate; proposing an amendment to Section 12, Article IV, relating to the disability of the Governor, so as to provide that if both the Attorney General and the State Treasurer transmit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor must assume the powers and duties of the office as acting Governor. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

House of Representatives. H. 4279 Rep. Hosey: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 2, Article III of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the House of Representatives, so as to provide that beginning in 2014, members of the House of Representatives must be chosen every fourth instead of every second year; and to amend Section 8, Article III, relating to election of the House of Representatives, so as to provide that members of the House be elected every fourth instead of every second year. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Health Care. H. 4181 Rep. Scott: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the declaration of rights, so as to add a new section preserving the freedom of South Carolinians with respect to the providing of health care services, by prohibiting any law, regulation, or rule to compel an individual, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system, by allowing individuals and employers to pay directly for lawful health care services without penalties or fines for these direct payments, by providing that the purchase or sale of health insurance in private health care systems must not be prohibited by law, regulation, or rule, by providing those incentives in which the rights provided by this section do not apply, and to provide appropriate definitions. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Health Care. S. 980 Senator Bright: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the declaration of rights, by adding Section 25 to preempt any federal law or rule that restricts a person's choice of private health care providers or the right to pay for medical services. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Health Care. S. 1010 Senator Rose: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the declaration of rights, by adding Section 25 to preempt any federal law or rule that restricts a person's choice of private health care providers or the right to pay for medical services. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Health Care Services. H. 4240 Rep. Duncan: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the "declaration of rights", so as to add a new section prohibiting the enactment of any law that restricts an individual's freedom of choice of private health care systems or private health insurance plans or that interferes with an individual's or entity's ability to pay directly for lawful medical services or that imposes a fine or penalty of any type for choosing to obtain or decline health care coverage or for participating in any particular health care system or plan. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Impeachment. H. 4168 Reps. Delleney: A House Resolution to provide that pursuant to Article XV, Section 1, of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, the Governor of South Carolina, the Honorable Marshall C. Sanford, Jr., is impeached for serious misconduct in office. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Laws and Constitutional Amendments. S. 1002 Senator Rose: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article XVII of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, by adding Section 15, to permit the enactment of laws and constitutional amendments by initiative petition. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Lieutenant Governor. H. 4182 Rep. Scott: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article IV of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the Executive Department of State Government, so as to provide that beginning with the person elected lieutenant governor in the general election of 2014, no person may be elected lieutenant governor for more than two successive terms. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Property Tax Assessor. H. 4237 Rep. Clemmons: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article VII of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to counties and county government, by adding a new section so as to provide that there must be elected in each county a property tax assessor who shall serve for a term of four years and until his successor is elected and qualifies and to provide that the General Assembly by general law shall provide for the duties, qualifications, and compensation of county property tax assessors. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Raffles. H. 4222 Rep. M. A. Pitts: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 7, Article XVII of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the prohibition on lotteries and the exceptions to this prohibition, by adding a new paragraph so as to provide that the General Assembly shall enact a general law authorizing a charitable organization to conduct a raffle, and which defines the type of organization allowed to conduct a raffle, provides the standards for the conduct and management of the raffle, provides penalties for violations, and ensures the proper functioning, honesty, integrity, and charitable purposes for which the raffle is conducted, and to provide that a raffle conducted in conformity with laws enacted pursuant to this paragraph is not considered a lottery prohibited by the Constitution. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Raffles. H. 4245 Rep. Merrill: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 7, Article XVII of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the prohibition on lotteries and the exceptions to this prohibition, so as to provide that the General Assembly may allow raffles to be conducted by charitable or nonprofit organizations and by general law must define the type of organization allowed to conduct raffles, provide the standards for the conduct and management of the raffles, provide penalties for violations, and provide for any other law necessary to assure the proper functioning, honesty, integrity, and charitable purposes for which the raffles are conducted. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Raffles. H. 4270 Rep. Merrill: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 7, Article XVII of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the prohibition on lotteries and the exceptions to this prohibition, by adding a new paragraph so as to provide that the General Assembly shall enact a general law authorizing a charitable organization to conduct a raffle, and which defines the type of organization allowed to conduct a raffle, provides the standards for the conduct and management of the raffle, provides penalties for violations, and ensures the proper functioning, honesty, integrity, and charitable purposes for which the raffle is conducted, and to provide that a raffle conducted in conformity with laws enacted pursuant to this paragraph is not considered a lottery prohibited by the constitution. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

State-Wide Elected Constitutional Office. S. 947 Senators Grooms and Bryant: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article XV of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to impeachment of certain executive and judicial officers of this state, by adding Section 4 so as to provide procedures for recalling and removing from public office persons holding public offices of the state or its political subdivisions in the executive and legislative branches of state or local governments; and proposing an amendment to Article XVII, by adding Section 15 so as to establish a specified procedure for the enactment or repeal of laws and constitutional amendments by initiative petition and referendum and to provide exceptions. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

State-Wide Elected Constitutional Office. S. 995 Senator Rose: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Article XV of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to impeachment of certain executive and judicial officers of this state, by adding Section 4 to provide procedures for recalling and removing from public office persons holding public offices of the state or its political subdivisions in the executive and legislative branches of state or local governments. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Alternative Local Option Tourism Development Fee Act.H. 4229 Rep. Herbkersman: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 10 to Chapter 10, Title 4 enacting the "Alternate Local Option Tourism Development Fee Act" so as to allow a municipality located within a county in which at least five million dollars of state accommodations tax revenues have been collected in a fiscal year and county annual per capita personal income is at least forty thousand dollars to impose a fee not to exceed one percent of amounts subject to tax pursuant to Chapter 36, Title 12, the South Carolina Sales and Use Tax Act, for not more than ten years, to provide that a municipality may impose the fee by ordinance, to provide for the administration of the fee, and to provide uses for which the fee revenue must be applied, including tourism promotion, property tax credits, and capital projects promoting tourism causes. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Employee Furlough Program.H. 4172 Rep. Forrester: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 4‑1‑180 so as to provide for the manner in which a county governing body may institute an employee furlough program, and to provide that the provisions of this section do not preclude a county from implementing other furlough programs not in conformity with the requirements of this section. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Local Option Tourism Development Fee.H. 4170 Reps. Clemmons: A bill to amend § 4‑10‑970, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to uses allowed for revenues of the local option tourism development fee, so as to allow amounts up to twenty percent of the revenue to be used for property tax relief for owner-occupied residential property and for tourism-related capital projects beginning in the second rather than the third year of imposition of the fee, to require the amounts used for these purposes to be retained by the municipality with at least twenty percent of the amount returned used as a credit against the property tax liability of owner-occupied residential property and provide for the calculation of the credit, and to provide for the use of credits in excess of the municipal property tax liability. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Powers of County Government. S. 976 Senator Cleary: A bill to amend § 4‑9‑30, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to powers of a county government, so as to authorize the governing body of a county to adopt by ordinance the requirement that a property owner shall keep a lot or other property clean and free of rubbish so as not to constitute a public nuisance and provide a procedure for enforcement of the ordinance. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Animal Fighting. H. 4213 Rep. G. M. Smith: A bill to amend § 16‑27‑30, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the offense of animal fighting and baiting and its penalties, so as to add that it is unlawful to possess, train, transport, or sell an animal with the intent that the animal be engaged in animal fighting and baiting. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Animal Fighting. S. 927 Senator L. Martin: A bill to amend § 16‑27‑30, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the offense of animal fighting and baiting and its penalties, so as to add that it is unlawful to sell an animal with the intent that the animal be engaged in animal fighting and baiting. Prefiled and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Attempted Murder. H. 4226 Rep. Clemmons: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 16‑3‑29 so as to create the offense of attempted murder; to amend § 16‑1‑60, as amended, relating to violent offenses, so as to include attempted murder and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature offenses; by adding § 16‑3‑621 so as to define necessary terms and create graduated assault and battery offenses; to amend § 17‑25‑45, as amended, relating to life sentences for certain repeat offenses, so as to add attempted murder and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature to the offenses considered "most serious"; and to repeal common law assault and battery offenses. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Charitable Organizations. H. 4267 Rep. Merrill: A bill to amend Chapter 19, Title 16, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to gambling and lotteries, so as to amend existing laws on unlawful lotteries and gambling by organizing existing laws into Article 1, and to add definitions; to increase and make uniform penalties for unlawful lotteries and gambling; to provide that social gambling is not unlawful, and to clarify that games of skill or chance in which no betting occurs are not unlawful; by adding Article 3, so as to allow charitable organizations to conduct raffles and special limited charity fundraising events; to define these events; to define the type of organization allowed to conduct these events; to provide standards for the management and conduct of these events; to provide penalties for violations; and to provide for the manner in which these provisions shall take effect. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Disturbing Schools. H. 4212 Reps. Jennings and Clemmons: A bill to amend § 16‑17‑420, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the offense of disturbing schools, so as to provide that violations of the statute must be tried in summary court. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Drive-by Shootings Accountability and Protection Act. H. 4277 Rep. Gilliard: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, so as to enact the "Drive-By Shootings Accountability and Protection Act" by adding § 16‑3‑624 so as to create the offense of committing a drive-by shooting, and to provide a penalty; and to amend § 16‑3‑20, as amended, relating to the punishment for murder, so as to include as a separate statutory aggravating circumstance which may be considered in the determination of whether the death penalty may be imposed, a murder committed during the commission of a drive-by shooting. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Intimidating a Process Server or Licensed Private Investigator. H. 4214 Rep. G. M. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 16‑3‑1030 so as to create the offense of threatening or intimidating a process server or licensed private investigator, provide a penalty, and define the term "immediate family". Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Hate Crimes. H. 4224 Rep. King: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 18 to Chapter 3, Title 16 so as to provide enhanced penalties for a person convicted of a crime contained in this Chapter with the intent to assault, intimidate, or threaten a person because of his race, religion, or sexual orientation. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Litter. S. 949 Senator Verdin: A bill to amend § 16‑11‑700 of the 1976 Code, relating to the prohibition against dumping litter on public or private property, to provide for increased penalties and to define 'litter'; to amend § 16‑11‑720, relating to the prohibition against dumping trash in Lake Greenwood or along its shoreline, to provide for increased penalties; and by adding § 44‑67‑140 to establish a litter offender database to be maintained and operated by the Department of Health and Environmental Control, to provide for the contents of the database, and to provide for the length of time that an offender's name and other required information must be maintained on the database. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Murder. S. 911 Senator Land: A bill to amend § 16‑3‑20 of the 1976 Code, relating to statutory aggravating circumstances in murder cases, to add to the list of aggravating circumstances the killing of an emergency medical service provider. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Resale of Tickets to Events. H. 4223 Rep. Sellers: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by repealing §§ 16‑17‑710 and 39‑5‑36 both relating to the prohibition and price restrictions on the resale of tickets to events. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Stalking. S. 969 Senator Bryant: A bill to amend § 16‑3‑1750 of the 1976 Code, relating to the duration of a restraining order against a person engaged in harassment or stalking, to provide that the order may not be lifted without the consent of the victim; to amend § 16‑3‑1780, relating to the modification of restraining orders, to provide that the court may not terminate the fixed period or terminate a restraining order without the prior consent of the plaintiff; to amend § 16‑25‑120, relating to the issuance of a restraining order, to provide that the court may not shorten the fixed period or terminate a restraining order or protective order without prior consent of the victim; and to amend § 20‑4‑70, relating to the duration of the term of a protective order and the modification of its terms, to provide that either party may extend the length of an order, and to provide that the length of the order may not be shortened or terminated without the consent of the petitioner. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Trafficking in Persons. H. 4202 Rep. Mitchell: A bill to amend § 16‑3‑930, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to trafficking in persons for forced labor or services, so as to provide a mandatory minimum penalty of five years for a person who commits the offense and increase the maximum penalty to thirty years. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Victim Assistance Program. H. 4225 Rep. Rutherford: A bill to amend § 16‑3‑1400, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to definitions for purposes of the article on the Victim Assistance Program, so as to provide that the term "victim service provider" does not include magistrate or municipal judges and their staff. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Coroner. S. 1009 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 17‑5‑530 of the 1976 Code, relating to coroner notification, to provide that county coroners must be notified of deaths in nursing homes. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Criminal Records. H. 4205 Rep. G. R. Smith: A bill to amend § 17‑1‑40, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to destruction of criminal records when a charge is dismissed or the person is found innocent, so as to provide that the provisions of the section do not apply to violations of Title 50 or Title 56 in which a record is not maintained that requires destruction. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Criminal Records Expungement. S. 912 Senator Land: A bill to amend § 17‑22‑950 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 36 of 2009, relating to procedures for expungement of criminal charges which have brought in summary court, to remove the requirement that the completed expungement order be filed with the clerk of court. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Deputy Coroner. S. 962 Senator Knotts: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 17‑5‑115 so as to provide the conditions upon which a deputy coroner may enforce the laws and ordinances of this state and its political subdivisions. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Law Enforcement. H. 4256 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend § 17‑30‑125, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to incidences when the supervising agent of a law enforcement agency may order certain persons to cut, reroute, or divert telephone lines for certain purposes, so as to provide that the supervising agent of a law enforcement agency may issue administrative subpoena to a telephone company, internet service provider, or another communications entity when it receives information that indicates that a person's life is threatened, a prisoner may escape, a person is being held as a hostage, a person may resist arrest while using a weapon, or an armed person may commit suicide, and to provide that the good faith reliance by a telephone company, internet service provider, or another communications entity to provide information specified in an administrative subpoena is a complete defense to a civil, criminal, or administrative action arising out of the order or administrative subpoena. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Common Law Marriage. H. 4201 Rep. G. A. Brown: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 20‑1‑110 so as to provide that common law marriage in this state may not be recognized after December 31, 2010, and to provide an exception for a common law marriage existing as of December 31, 2010; and to repeal § 20‑1‑360 relating to the validity of a marriage contracted without the issuance of a license. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.Criminal Domestic Violence. S. 916 Senator Leventis: A bill to amend § 16‑25‑10, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the definition of "household member" in connection with criminal domestic violence offenses, so as to include persons in a dating relationship and to define "dating relationship"; to amend § 20‑4‑20, as amended, relating to definitions in the "Protection from Domestic Abuse Act", so as to revise the definition of "household member" to include persons in a dating relationship and to define "dating relationship"; to amend § 20‑4‑40, as amended, relating to the petition for an order of protection, so as to provide that a parent or guardian may petition the court for an order on behalf of a minor who is in a dating relationship; and to amend § 20‑4‑60, as amended, relating to the contents of an order of protection, so as to authorize a respondent in a proceeding to complete a batterer treatment program and to order other prohibitions or requirements necessary to protect the abused person. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Charter Schools. H. 4243 Reps. Owens, Harrell, Cato, Duncan, Harrison, Sandifer, Whitmire, Allison, Skelton, E. H. Pitts, Bowen, Wylie, Rice, G. R. Smith and Limehouse: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑40‑55 so as to provide charter school powers and duties and to allow a sponsor to retain certain funds for overseeing the charter school; by adding § 59‑40‑175 so as to create the Charter School Facility Revolving Loan Program; to amend § 59‑40‑20, as amended, relating to the purpose of the Charter School Act, so as to include an additional purpose; to amend § 59‑40‑40, as amended, relating to definitions, so as to amend existing definitions and add new definitions; to amend § 59‑40‑50, as amended, relating to charter school powers and duties, so as to provide for the election of a charter school board of directors, allow a charter school to contract with providers for student transportation, and allow charter school students to participate in certain extracurricular activities under certain conditions; to amend § 59‑40‑60, as amended, relating to application to create a charter school, so as to clarify what must be included in the contract, to require the Department of Education to create a contract template; to amend § 59‑40‑70, as amended, relating to the Charter School Advisory Committee, so as to revise its membership and to extend the time period in which the Committee must determine application compliance; to amend § 59‑40‑100, as amended, relating to charter school conversion, so as to allow a converted charter school to retain facilities and equipment available before conversion; to amend § 59‑40‑110, relating to the duration of a charter, so as to allow a sponsor to immediately revoke a charter and close the school upon certain conditions; to amend § 59‑40‑140, as amended, relating to distribution of resources, so as to provide for the distribution of funds to charter schools, to revise what the South Carolina Public Charter School District shall receive, to allow the Department of Education to fine sponsors that fail to distribute certain funds to charter schools, and to revise reporting requirements; to amend § 59‑40‑210, as amended, relating to conversion of a private school to a charter school, so as to allow a private school to dissolve and immediately seek to form a charter school; and to amend § 59‑40‑230, relating to the Board of Trustees of the South Carolina Public Charter School, so as to revise its membership. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

College of Charleston. H. 4244 Rep. Limehouse: A bill to amend § 59‑130‑10, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the College of Charleston Board of Trustees, so as to add an additional trustee to be appointed by the College of Charleston Alumni Association Board of Directors, to set his term, and to provide criteria for his selection. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Commission on Higher Education. H. 4227 Rep. Merrill: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑104‑63 so as to abolish the State Commission on Higher Education and to devolve its powers and duties to the individual college boards of trustees of this state, except for its powers and duties concerning scholarships and grants, which must be devolved to the Office of the State Treasurer. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Department of Education. S. 961 Senator Knotts: A bill to provide that the State Department of Education shall have oversight responsibilities in regard to the implementation of the educational programs provided by the provisions of Paragraph 1.8, Section 1, Part IB of Act 23 of 2009, relating to education programs for children of lawful school age residing in a foster home, group home, orphanage, or state-operated health care facility. Referred to the Committee on Education.

Education Improvement Act. H. 4247 Rep. Merrill: A bill to amend Chapter 20, Title 59, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the Education Finance Act of 1977, so as to revise the manner in which weightings used to provide for relative cost differences between students are determined, revise the manner in which school district funding under this act is distributed, including eliminating the index of taxpaying ability, renaming "base student cost" as "weighted student cost", and modifying the formula for computing weighted student cost, and to require the General Assembly beginning with fiscal year 2010-2011 to provide allocations to schools based on the full amount of weighted student cost determined under this chapter; by adding Article 7 to Chapter 69, Title 59 so as to provide that allocations made to schools under the education improvement act must be disbursed directly to individual schools without regard to a designated purpose in the same manner and formula as contained in the Education Finance Act; and to repeal §§ 4‑10‑810 and 59‑21‑1030 relating to the level of financial effort per pupil required of school districts. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Educational Services. S. 960 Senator Knotts: A joint resolution to provide that the provisions of Paragraph 1.77, Section 1, Part IB, of Act 23 of 2009, relating to educational services to South Carolina residents of lawful school age residing in licensed residential treatment facilities are suspended until reauthorized by the General Assembly by act or joint resolution. Referred to the Committee on Education.

Geriatric Nursing. S. 1004 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Article 1, Chapter 111, Title 59 of the 1976 Code, relating to scholarships, by adding § 59‑111‑90 to authorize the Commission on Higher Education, in consultation with the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation, to develop a loan repayment program for talented and qualified state residents who attend state public or private colleges and universities for the purpose of working in the field of geriatric nursing, and to provide for the procedures, conditions, and requirements of the program. Referred to the Committee on Education.

High School Graduation Rate. H. 4197 Rep. Sellers: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑1‑505 so as to require the State Department of Education to release high school graduation rate data based on race or ethnicity by September first of each year; to amend §§ 59‑1‑450, 59‑1‑452, as amended, 59‑1‑453, 59‑6‑10, 59‑16‑70, 59‑18‑120, as amended, 59‑18‑310, as amended, 59‑18‑320, as amended, 59‑18‑350, as amended, 59‑18‑900, as amended, 50‑18‑920, as amended, 59‑18‑950, 59‑18‑1500, as amended, 59‑18‑1510, as amended, 59‑18‑1530, as amended, 59‑18‑1540, as amended, 59‑18‑1570, as amended, 59‑18‑1590, as amended, 59‑18‑1700, as amended, 59‑18‑1930, as amended, 59‑21‑440, 59‑21‑600, 59‑21‑1210, 59‑24‑65, 59‑26‑20, as amended, 59‑28‑150, 59‑28‑90, 59‑28‑200, as amended, 59‑28‑210, 59‑29‑170, 59‑29‑220, 59‑40‑70, as amended, 59‑40‑230, 59‑50‑20, as amended, 59‑59‑170, 59‑63‑65, 59‑139‑10, 59‑139‑40, 59‑139‑60, and 59‑150‑325, all relating to the Education Oversight Committee, to change certain references from the Education Oversight Committee to the Department of Education, the State Board of Education, or the Superintendent of Education, and to delete certain references to the Education Oversight Committee; to repeal §§ 59‑6‑15, 59‑6‑16, 59‑6‑17, 59‑6‑20, 59‑6‑30, 59‑6‑100, and 59‑6‑110 all relating to the Business Education Partnership and Education Improvement Program monitoring; to repeal § 59‑21‑1220 relating to the campus incentive program; to repeal §§ 59‑24‑100 and 59‑24‑110 both relating to the School Principal Incentive Program; to repeal§ 59‑28‑220 relating to recommendations for employer tax credit incentives; to repeal § 59‑139‑50 relating to a plan for technical assistance; and to repeal § 59‑141‑10 relating to national education goals. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

High School or School District. S. 939 Senator Fair: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑101‑435 so as to provide a high school, career center, or school district in which they are located and a state-supported institution of higher learning may enter into articulation agreements without the requirement of participation in or administration of the articulation agreement by the governing body or commission of an institution of higher learning including a local technical college or its area commission located in the same county or area where the high school or career center is located, and to define articulation agreements for purposes of this provision. Referred to the Committee on Education.

School Trustees. H. 4196 Rep. H. B. Brown: A bill to amend § 59‑19‑90, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to powers and duties of school trustees, so as to delete the duty of the employment and discharge of teachers; to amend § 59‑25‑410, relating to notification of teacher employment for the ensuing year, so as to provide that the superintendent of the school district shall notify teachers of continued employment; to amend § 59‑25‑415, relating to priority for certified personnel in rehiring, so as to revise notice requirements; to amend § 59‑25‑420, relating to notification of acceptance of reemployment, so as to require the teacher to notify the superintendent of acceptance; and to amend § 59‑25‑460, relating to dismissal of teachers, so as to provide that notice must be given by the superintendent. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

S.C. Rural Primary Care Physician Loan Repayment Program. H. 4195 Rep. H. B. Brown: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 8 to Chapter 111, Title 59 to enact the "South Carolina Rural Primary Care Physician Loan Repayment Program" so as to create a loan repayment program for licensed primary care physicians who practice in rural areas within the state, to provide for a program advisory board, to provide criteria by which physicians may be selected, to provide penalties for noncompliance with the program, to provide for the appropriation of funds for the program, and to define certain terms. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

State Board of Education. H. 4194 Rep. G. M. Smith: A bill to amend § 59‑5‑65, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to powers and responsibilities of the State Board of Education, so as to provide that board regulations concerning half-day four year old education programs may not require home visits by school district personnel; and to amend § 59‑139‑10, relating to school district early childhood initiatives, so as to provide that district plans may not include home visits by school district personnel. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Substitute Teachers. H. 4248 Reps. Horne and Allison: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑19‑115 so as to require a substitute teacher hired by a local school district to undergo a criminal record search, to require each school district to develop a written policy on the criminal record search, to provide what the policy must include, and to require the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to provide training to appropriate school district personnel; and to amend § 23‑3‑115, relating to fees for criminal record searches, so as to fix the fee at eight dollars for certain school district employees. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Substitute Teachers. S. 953 Senator Jackson: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑19‑117 so as to require an individual hired by a school district to serve in any capacity in a public school which requires direct interaction with students to undergo a criminal record search, to require each school district to develop a written policy on the criminal record search, to provide what the policy must include, and to require the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to provide training to appropriate school district personnel; and to amend § 23‑3‑115, relating to fees for criminal record searches, so as to fix the fee at eight dollars for certain school district employees. Referred to the Committee on Education.

Substitute Teachers. S. 978 Senator Campbell: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑19‑115 so as to require a substitute teacher hired by a local school district to undergo a criminal record search, to require each school district to develop a written policy on the criminal record search, to provide what the policy must include, and to require the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to provide training to appropriate school district personnel; and to amend§ 23‑3‑115, relating to fees for criminal record searches, so as to fix the fee at eight dollars for certain school district employees. Referred to the Committee on Education.

Teachers. H. 4246 Rep. Bowen: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑1‑503 so as to provide that a salaried employee of a school district may not, during normal work hours for which he is paid, develop educational materials designed for use outside of the district that fall outside the scope of his employment, and that he may not use equipment that belongs to the school or district in the creation of any such educational materials. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Technical College of the Lowcountry Enterprise Campus Authority.H. 4250 Rep. Erickson: A bill to amend § 59‑53‑2410, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to technical college enterprise campus authorities, so as to create the technical college of the lowcountry enterprise campus authority. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Technical College of the Lowcountry Enterprise Campus Authority.S. 964 Senator Pinckney: A bill to amend § 59‑53‑2410, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to technical college enterprise campus authorities, so as to create the Technical College of the Lowcountry Enterprise Campus Authority. Referred to the Committee on Education.

Technical Education Institutions. S. 908 Senator Peeler: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 59‑53‑110 so as to change the names of all technical education institutions under the control of the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education to "technical and community college". Referred to the Committee on Education.

Absentee Ballots. H. 4286 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend § 7‑15‑220 and §§ 7‑15‑380, 7‑15‑385, and 7‑15‑420, all as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to casting a ballot by means of an absentee ballot, so as to delete the requirement that the signature or mark of an absentee applicant or voter be witnessed. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Elections. H. 4208 Rep. Clemmons: A bill to amend § 7‑13‑35, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to notices of general, municipal, special, and primary elections, so as to change from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the time that the process for examining the return-addressed envelopes containing absentee ballots may begin on election day. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Lexington County Voting Precincts. S. 963 Senators Knotts, Cromer, Courson and Setzler: A bill to amend § 7‑7‑380, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the designation of voting precincts in Lexington County, so as to revise and rename certain voting precincts of Lexington County and redesignate a map number for the map on which lines of these precincts are delineated and maintained by the Office of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and Control Board. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Voter Registration. H. 4207 Rep. Clemmons: A bill to amend § 7‑5‑120, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the qualifications for registration to vote, so as to authorize a United States citizen outside the United States under certain conditions to be eligible to register and vote where his parent is a qualified elector; and to amend § 7‑15‑110, as amended, relating to persons qualified to vote by absentee ballot, so as to authorize a person to vote by absentee ballot if he or a parent last resided in this state immediately before his or his parents departure from the United States. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Voter Registration. S. 923 Senator Thomas: A bill to amend § 7‑5‑110, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the requirement of registration in order to vote, so as to provide that a person is not allowed to vote in a partisan primary election or partisan advisory referendum unless the person has registered as being a member of that party; to amend § 7‑5‑170, as amended, relating to the requirements for voter registration, so as to provide the requirement of stating political party affiliation, if any, on the form and including it in the oath; and require the State Election Commission to assist in capturing this data; and to amend § 7‑9‑20, relating to the qualifications for voting in primary elections, so as to include, as a requirement, registering as a member of the party and to provide a procedure for changing political party affiliation or nonaffiliation after a selection has been made. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Voter Registration. S. 938 Senator Fair: A bill to amend § 7‑5‑110 of the 1976 Code, relating to the requirement of registration in order to vote, to provide that a person is not allowed to vote in a partisan primary election or partisan advisory referendum unless the person has registered as being a member of that party; to amend § 7‑5‑170, relating to the requirements for voter registration, to provide the requirement of stating political party affiliation, if any, on the form and including it in the oath and to require the State Election Commission to assist in maintaining a list of all electors registered by party affiliation; and to amend § 7‑9‑20, relating to the qualifications for voting in primary elections, to include, as a requirement, registering as a member of the party and to provide a procedure for changing political party affiliation or nonaffiliation after a selection has been made. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Voter Registration. S. 971 Senator Bryant: A bill to amend § 7‑5‑110 of the 1976 Code, relating to the requirement of registration in order to vote, to provide that a person is not allowed to vote in a partisan primary election or partisan advisory referendum unless the person has registered as being a member of that party; to amend § 7‑5‑170, relating to the requirements for voter registration, to provide the requirement of stating political party affiliation, if any, on the form and including it in the oath, and to require the State Election Commission to assist in maintaining a list of all electors registered by party affiliation; and to amend § 7‑9‑20, relating to the qualifications for voting in primary elections, to include, as a requirement, registering as a member of the party, and to provide a procedure for changing political party affiliation or nonaffiliation after a selection has been made. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Conservation Bank Act. H. 4269 Rep. Herbkersman: A bill to amend Act 200 of 2002, relating to the South Carolina Conservation Bank Act, so as to delete a provision which provides that no further deed recording fees or other funds may be credited to the Conservation Bank Trust Fund in any year when a majority of state agency appropriations are reduced in the Annual General Appropriations Act or when the State Budget and Control Board imposes across the board cuts and instead provide for a reduction on a percentage basis in the amount of deed recording fees which may be transferred to the trust fund, and to extend the expiration date of the provisions of law relating to the Conservation Bank Act and other related dates pertaining to the closure of the Conservation Bank Act and Conservation Bank Fund. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Conservation Bank Act. S. 903 Senator McConnell: A bill to amend Act 200 of 2002, relating to the South Carolina Conservation Bank Act, so as to delete a provision which provides that no further deed recording fees or other funds may be credited to the Conservation Bank Trust Fund in any year when a majority of state agency appropriations are reduced in the annual General Appropriations Act or when the State Budget and Control Board imposes across the board cuts and instead provide for a reduction on a percentage basis in the amount of deed recording fees which may be transferred to the Trust Fund, and to extend the expiration date of the provisions of law relating to the Conservation Bank Act and other related dates pertaining to the closure of the Conservation Bank Act and Conservation Bank Fund. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Conservation Bank Act. S. 1012 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 48‑59‑30 of the 1976 Code, relating to definitions of terms used in the Conservation Bank Act, to provide that a county is an eligible trust fund recipient. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Renewable Energy Plan. H. 4241 Rep. G. M. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 13 to Chapter 52, Title 48 so as to create the "South Carolina Renewable Energy Plan", to authorize the Public Service Commission to approve renewable energy projects to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of clean energy systems; to provide full cost recovery for certain costs incurred by a provider for a renewable energy project; to require each municipal electric utility, each rural electric cooperative, and the public service authority to develop standards for promotion, encouragement, and expansion of renewable energy resources and to require reporting requirements for this information; to establish the South Carolina Renewable Energy Infrastructure Development Fund in the State Treasury; to create the South Carolina renewable energy revolving loan program to provide a low interest loan to an individual or organization to build a qualified renewable energy production facility; to create the South Carolina Renewable Energy Grant Program to provide a grant to a private or public entity in this state to help the entity become more competitive in obtaining grants to generate renewable energy-related research and projects to directly benefit this state; to provide an oversight committee to approve a disbursement from the fund; to provide the composition of the committee; and to define certain terms, among other things; to amend § 12‑6‑3631, as amended, relating to the biodiesel expenditures income tax credit, so as to revise the definition of "qualified expenditures for research and development"; to amend § 12‑63‑20, as amended, relating to the tax credits for alternative fuels and other energy sources, so as to revise the definition of "biomass resource"; and to amend § 46‑3‑250, as amended, relating to the South Carolina Renewable Energy Infrastructure Development Trust Fund, so as to define "biomass" and add additional categories for matching grants. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Sea Turtle Protection Act. S. 979 Senator Davis: A bill to amend Title 48 of the 1976 Code, by adding Chapter 61, to enact the "Sea Turtle Protection Act", to prohibit leaving personal items or temporary structures that interfere with, obstruct, or prevent clear access to the ocean by sea turtles from being left on public beaches overnight, to provide for a temporary permit, and to establish appropriate penalties. Referred to the Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry.

Small Business and Green Jobs Micro Loan and Micro Grant Program Act.H. 4283 Rep. Gunn: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 14 to Chapter 52, Title 48 so as to establish in the State Energy Office the South Carolina Small Business and Green Jobs Micro Loan and Micro Grant Program, to establish a fund to provide certain loans and grants, to provide the program, loans, and grants be administered by the University of South Carolina Small Business Development Center, to provide certain definitions, to create an advisory committee to the program and to define the committee's membership, to define the purposes for which a grant or loan may be made by the program, and to provide specific duties of the Center concerning the Program. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Bird Dogs. S. 975 Senator Campsen: A bill to amend § 50‑11‑65 of the 1976 Code, relating to the training of bird dogs, to define "training birds", to provide for the use of training birds during the closed season, and to provide that training must have minimal disturbance on wild birds. Referred to the Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry.

Black Bass. S. 914 Senator Land: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding§ 50‑13‑120, to set the size limits at fourteen inches total length and the catch limit at five per day for black bass in Lakes Marion and Moultrie and the Upper Santee River. Referred to the Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry.

Hogs. S. 932 Senator L. Martin: A bill to amend § 50‑16‑25 of the 1976 Code, relating to the release of pigs for hunting purposes, to provide that it is unlawful to possess, buy, sell, offer for sale, transfer, release, or transport for the purpose of release a member of the suidae family for hunting or to supplement a free roaming population, to provide that it is unlawful to remove a live hog from a trap or from the woods, fields, or marshes of this state, and to clarify that this section does not apply to accepted farming practices related to members of the suidae family. Referred to the Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry.

Hunting and Fishing License. S. 974 Senator Campsen: A bill to amend § 50‑9‑20 of the 1976 Code, relating to the duration of hunting and fishing licenses, to provide that annual hunting and fishing licenses shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance and to provide that three-year hunting and fishing licenses shall be valid for three years from the date of issuance; by adding § 50‑9‑560, to provide that the Department may issue three-year combination licenses, sportsman licenses, junior sportsman licenses, big game permits, and wildlife management area permits; to amend § 50‑9‑920, relating to revenue from the sale of lifetime licenses, to establish the Three-Year Hunting and Fishing License Fund, to provide that three-year license fees are deposited in the Fund, to provide that one third of the Fund must be distributed to the Game Protection Fund, to establish the Three-Year Wildlife Management Area Permit Fund, to provide that three-year wildlife management area permit fees are deposited in the Fund, to provide that one-third of the Fund must be distributed to the Wildlife Endowment Fund; and to make conforming amendments. Referred to the Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry.

Public Fishing Piers. S. 917 Senators Leventis, Land and McGill: A bill to amend § 50‑5‑15 of the 1976 Code, relating to the definition of public fishing piers, to include any pier extending into the Atlantic Ocean from which owners of the pier and their guest are allowed to fish. Referred to the Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry.

Venomous Reptiles. H. 4218 Rep. Kirsh: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Chapter 17 to Title 50 so as to provide for the regulation of venomous reptiles, constricting snakes, and crocodilians, including specifications for housing and transportation enclosures, written bite, safety, and escape protocols; law enforcement procedures; requirements to determine if a reptile is regulated under this Chapter and for making final dispositions of these reptiles; activities not subject to regulation under this Chapter; criminal penalties for violations; and to provide that certain conduct constitutes reckless disregard for the safety of others and subjects violators to punitive damages in civil actions. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

Bills. H. 4251 Rep. Wylie: A house resolution to amend Rule 4.4 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, relating to committees, so as to require a bill having sixty-five or more sponsors be considered within thirty days by the committee to which it is referred and provide for notification of the primary sponsor if the bill is tabled or not reported out of committee. Referred to Committee on Rules.

Tax Bills and Revenue Impact Statements. S. 905 Senator Leatherman: A bill to amend § 2‑7‑71 of the 1976 Code, relating to tax bills and revenue impact statements, to provide that the revenue impact statement must be signed by the chief economist of the Office of Research and Statistics; and to amend § 2‑7‑78, relating to the certification of a revenue estimate, to provide that the revenue impact must be certified by the chief economist of the Office of Research and Statistics. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Controlled Substances. H. 4255 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend §§ 44‑53‑190, as amended, 44‑53‑210, 44‑53‑230, 44‑53‑250, and 44‑53‑270, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating, respectively, to schedules I through V controlled substances and the designated drugs in each schedule, so as to provide that any substance declared a controlled substance in the respective schedules by the United States Department of Justice is considered a controlled substance upon the effective date specified in the federal register announcing the designation; and to amend § 44‑53‑370, as amended, relating to criminal penalties for controlled substance violations, so as to provide that it is unlawful to possess one gram, rather than 10 grains, of cocaine. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Hospitals. S. 937 Senator Reese: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 44‑7‑295 so as to require hospitals licensed in this state to include physicians with practice privileges in the hospital in referral rotations for unassigned patients and services or procedures, applicable to the physicians area of practice, unless the physician opts out of the rotation. Referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.

Nursing Homes. S. 990 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 44‑7‑260 of the 1976 Code, relating to requirements for licensure, to provide that nursing homes must carry at least one million dollars in comprehensive general liability insurance to obtain a license, to provide that a nursing home must notify the Department of Health and Environmental Control upon cancellation of a general liability policy, and to provide that a nursing home license shall be revoked upon failure to maintain general liability insurance. Referred to the Committee on Medical Affairs.

Residential Care Facility Staff. H. 4216 Rep. Huggins: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 44‑7‑355 so as to provide that a properly trained community residential care facility staff member may administer injections of medications for diabetes, osteoporosis, and conditions associated with anaphylactic reactions. Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs.

Sexually Violent Predators. H. 4199 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend § 44‑48‑40, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the effective date of parole or conditional release of sexually violent predators, so as to provide that the parole or conditional release order does not take effect for one hundred eighty days, rather than ninety days, after issuance of the order; to amend § 44‑48‑80, as amended, relating to the facility in which a person must be held after probable cause is found to exist that the person is a sexually violent predator, so as to require that the person only be held in a local or regional detention facility; to amend § 44‑48‑90, as amended, relating to the time within which a jury trial must be requested and held to determine if a person is a sexually violent predator, so as to provide that a jury trial must be requested within thirty days after an evaluator issues an opinion and the trial must be held within sixty days of issuance of the opinion and to provide that upon receipt of the issuance of the opinion, either party may retain his own expert to conduct an evaluation; to amend § 44‑48‑100, as amended, relating to the facility in which a person must be held upon a mistrial in determining if the person is a sexually violent predator, so as to require that the person only be held in a local or regional detention facility; and to amend § 44‑48‑120, as amended, relating to procedures required when the director of the Department of Mental Health determines a person committed to the Department as a sexually violent predator is no longer likely to commit acts of sexual violence, so as to require the director to certify this determination in writing and to notify the attorney general of this certification and of the patient's authorization to petition the court for release and to provide that the attorney general may request an examination before a hearing on the release is held and to further provide that either party may request that the hearing be held before a jury. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Sexually Violent Predator. S. 931 Senator L. Martin: A bill to amend § 44‑48‑40 of the 1976 Code, relating to the effective date of parole or conditional release of sexually violent predators, to provide that written notice must be given two hundred seventy days rather than one hundred days, and to provide that the parole or conditional release order does not take effect for one hundred eighty days, rather than ninety days, after issuance of the order; to amend § 44‑48‑80, relating to the facility in which a person must be held after probable cause is found to exist that the person is a sexually violent predator, to require that the person only be held in a local or regional detention facility pending conclusion of the proceedings in this chapter and that the court must direct the person to be transported to an appropriate facility of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health; to amend § 44‑48‑90, relating to the time within which a jury trial must be requested and held to determine if a person is a sexually violent predator, to provide that a jury trial must be requested within thirty days after the determination of probable cause under § 44‑48‑80, to provide that the trial must be held within ninety days of issuance of the court appointed evaluator's opinion, and to provide that upon receipt of the issuance of the opinion, either party may retain his own expert to conduct a subsequent evaluation; to amend § 44‑48‑100, relating to the facility in which a person must be held upon a mistrial in determining if the person is a sexually violent predator, to require that the person only be held in a local or regional detention facility; and to amend § 44‑48‑120, relating to procedures required when the director of the Department of Mental Health determines a person committed to the Department as a sexually violent predator is no longer likely to commit acts of sexual violence, to require the director to certify this determination in writing and to notify the attorney general of this certification and of the patient's authorization to petition the court for release, to provide that the attorney general may request an examination before a hearing on the release is held, and to provide that either party may request that the hearing be held before a jury. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Department of Transportation. H. 4263 Rep. Chalk: A bill to amend § 57‑5‑340, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the Department of Transportation's sale or disposal of real property, so as to provide that funds derived from the sale of rights of way in excess of the Department's cost shall first pay any outstanding debt on the highway project with any remaining balances distributed among the counties as "C" funds. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Lodging Establishment Act. S. 39 (Companion/Similar S. 40, S. 73, S. 75, S. 76) Senator Ford: A bill to amend §§ 45‑2‑20, 45‑2‑30, and 45‑2‑60, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to prohibiting discrimination pursuant to the Lodging Establishment Act, concerning hotels and other sleeping accommodations, because of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, or marital status, so as to also prohibit such discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity and to define "sexual orientation" and "gender identity"; and to amend § 45‑9‑10, relating to prohibiting discrimination in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations of any place of public accommodation because of race, color, religion, or national origin, so as to prohibit such discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity and to define "sexual orientation" and "gender identity". Referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Restaurants. H. 4273 Rep. Gilliard: A bill the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, is amended by adding § 45‑1‑85 so as to provide any restaurant to enter into an agreement with a church or charitable organization that feeds needy individuals to donate surplus prepared or unprepared food items to the church or charitable organization for this purpose without incurring legal liability or health code violations under certain conditions. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Affordable Health Insurance Act. S. 998 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Title 38 of the 1976 Code, by adding Chapter 110, to create the "Affordable Health Insurance Act", to provide that health insurers may operate certain programs without violating unfair trade practice laws, to provide that no relationship must exist between preferred provider and non-preferred provider plan reimbursements, to provide that the Department of Insurance shall allow health reimbursement arrangement plans, to provide exceptions to the allowance of health reimbursement arrangement plans, and to provide for income tax exemptions for premiums paid to a high deductible health plan. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Department of Insurance. H. 4210 Rep. Stavrinakis: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 38‑3‑102 so as to provide that the director of the Department of Insurance must be elected to office by the qualified electors of the state in the general election and provide for the director's term of office, qualifications, vacancies, and related matters; to amend § 1‑30‑10, as amended, relating to the departments of state government, so as to provide that the governing authority of the Department of Insurance is the director of the Department of Insurance elected to office under the laws of this state; to amend § 38‑1‑20, relating to definitions under the insurance laws of this state, so as to make certain changes to the definition of "director" of the Department of Insurance; to amend § 38‑3‑10, relating to the Department of Insurance, so as to delete certain provisions relating to the Department's director, provide that the director is elected rather than appointed, and make changes in the provisions concerning the removal of the director; to amend § 38‑3‑100, relating to the director of the Department of Insurance, so as to, among other changes, delete the requirement that, if the director becomes a candidate for public office or becomes a member of a political committee during tenure, his office must be immediately vacated; and to provide that the election of the director of the Department of Insurance begins with the 2010 statewide election process and that the director serving on the effective date of this Act shall continue to serve until his successor is elected and qualifies for office. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Department of Insurance. S. 986 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 5, Title 38 of the 1976 Code, relating to transacting insurance business, by adding § 38‑5‑15, to provide that the Department of Insurance shall authorize out-of-state insurers to offer health insurance policies in this state, to authorize the director of the Department of Insurance to conduct market and solvency examinations of out-of-state insurers seeking to offer plans in this state, and to provide language that must be present in an out-of-state health insurance plan offered to South Carolina residents. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Disabled Person. H. 4252 Rep. Horne: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 38‑77‑146 so as to provide that a volunteer licensed driver of a motor vehicle transporting a physically or mentally disabled person is not liable for monetary damages over the policy limits covering the driver, except in the case of gross negligence. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act. S. 987 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 1, Title 38 of the 1976 Code, by adding § 38‑1‑40 to enact the "Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act," to provide that citizens of this state have the right to purchase private health insurance, to provide that the General Assembly may not require any person to purchase health care insurance, and to require the attorney general to challenge the constitutionality of any health care plan mandated by Congress. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Health Insurance.H. 4171 Rep. Scott: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 38‑71‑15 so as to provide that if provisions of federal law mandate that all citizens with certain exceptions purchase or secure health insurance coverage through a range of options one of which is to purchase or secure health insurance coverage through a public plan underwritten in whole or in part by the federal government, and the public plan permits states to "opt out" of this public option, the state of South Carolina herby "opts out" and declines to have this public plan option apply to or be available to the citizens of this state. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Health Insurance. H. 4258 Rep. Stavrinakis: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 38‑71‑244 so as to prohibit a company issuing an accident and health insurance policy from denying or limiting coverage to an insured because of a preexisting condition which results from an injury or condition sustained by a victim as a result of a criminal act. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Health Insurance. S. 985 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 71, Title 38 of the 1976 Code, relating to health insurance coverage, by adding § 38‑71‑45, to provide that a woman cannot be denied health insurance coverage because she has undergone a cesarean section, and to provide that an injury or condition resulting from a cesarean section shall not be considered a preexisting condition; and by adding § 38‑71‑48 to provide that a person may not be denied coverage based upon the applicant's or insured's status as a victim of domestic violence or abuse, and to provide that an injury or condition resulting from domestic violence or abuse shall not be considered a preexisting condition. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Insurance. H. 4198 Rep. Erickson: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 38‑57‑115 so as to provide that it is unfair discrimination for an insurer to deny, refuse to issue or renew, cancel, restrict or exclude coverage, deny a claim or limit payments, or add a premium differential to a policy or certificate of coverage on the basis that an applicant or insured has been or is perceived to have been abused or may be a subject of abuse and to provide penalties, including fines up to two hundred thousand dollars. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Insurance Policies. S. 997 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 57, Title 38 of the 1976 Code, relating to trade practices in the insurance industry, by adding § 38‑57‑125 to provide that a person's credit history or credit report cannot be a factor considered when determining whether to issue a policy or contract or when setting premiums, policy fees, or other charges for an insurance policy or contract. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Insurance Rate Increase. H. 4257 Rep. Stavrinakis: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 38‑73‑1091 so as to create an affirmative duty of the director, an individual, bureau, or insurer to release all data on which is based an insurance rate increase. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Long Term Care Insurance. S. 993 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 38‑72‑60 of the 1976 Code, relating to long term care insurance terms and conditions, to provide that a long term care insurance policy must provide an option to name a third party to contact if premiums go unpaid. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Mandated Benefits Review Act. S. 988 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Title 38 of the 1976 Code, by adding Chapter 105, to enact the "Mandated Benefits Review Act", to provide definitions, to provide that proposed and existing mandated health benefits must be reviewed by the Department of Insurance, to provide the method of review, and to provide for the expiration of mandated health benefits after review unless the benefits are reauthorized by the General Assembly. Referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Workers’ Compensation Insurers. S. 951 Senator Elliott: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 38‑73‑522 so as to require worker's compensation insurers to use the most recently approved loss cost data when calculating rates. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Community Economic Development Act. S. 915 Senators Land, Anderson, Nicholson, Leventis, Elliott, Williams, Sheheen and Setzler: A bill to amend Act 314 of 2000, to terminate the provisions of the South Carolina Community Economic Development Act on June 30, 2015. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Employment. S. 929 Senator L. Martin: A bill to amend § 41‑1‑10 of the 1976 Code, relating to posting notices concerning the employment of adults and children in places of employment, to delete the provision requiring notice to be posted in every room where five or more persons are employed; to amend § 41‑3‑10, relating to the Division of Labor within the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and to the appointment and duties of the director of the Department, to delete the provision establishing the Division of Labor; to amend § 41‑3‑40, relating to the director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, to delete the reference to regulations pertaining to the Division of Labor; to amend §§ 41‑3‑50, 41‑3‑60, 41‑3‑100, and 41‑3‑120, all relating to various duties of the director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, to make technical corrections; and to repeal §§ 41‑1‑40, 41‑1‑50, 41‑3‑80, 41‑15‑10, and 41‑15‑50; Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 41; Chapter 21, Title 41; and Chapter 23, Title 41 all relating to various obsolete provisions pertaining to the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Unemployment Benefits. S. 920 Senator Thomas: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 41‑35‑112 so as to require a person receiving an unemployment benefit shall submit to drug screening and to provide penalties if he fails this drug test; and by adding § 43‑5‑300 so as to require a person receiving certain public aid or assistance shall submit to drug screening and to provide penalties if he fails this drug test. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Unemployment Benefits. S. 992 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 41‑35‑110 of the 1976 Code, relating to conditions of eligibility for unemployment benefits, to provide that a claimant for unemployment benefits is not eligible for benefits or waiting period credit following a temporary work assignment unless he can show the temporary work agency has been notified of the availability of the claimant for a new job assignment from the agency but has not provided a subsequent assignment for which the claimant is qualified. Referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Coroners. S. 1013 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 23‑23‑10 of the 1976 Code, relating to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, by adding an appropriately numbered new subsection to provide that coroners must be allowed to attend the Criminal Justice Academy to receive basic and any applicable advanced training available to law enforcement officers. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Criminal Record Search. S. 935 Senator Reese: A bill to amend § 23‑3‑115, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to fees for criminal record searches conducted by the State Law Enforcement Division, so as to provide that a fee of eight dollars shall be charged for each criminal record search conducted on a school district volunteer. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Electronic Securing and Targeting of Online Predators Act (E-Stop).S. 973 Senator Campsen: A bill a bill to amend Title 23, Chapter 3, Article 7 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, to enact the "Electronic Securing and Targeting of Online Predators Act (E-Stop)", by adding § 23‑3‑555, so as to provide that a sex offender who is required to register with the Sex Offender Registry must provide information regarding the offender's internet accounts with internet access providers and the offender's internet identifiers, and to provide that an authorized internet entity may request certain sex offender registry information from SLED, and to provide that SLED must provide certain sex offender registry information to an authorized internet entity, and to provide that certain sex offenders must, as a condition of probation or parole, be prohibited from using the internet to access social networking websites, communicate with other persons or groups for the purpose of promoting sexual relations with persons under the age of eighteen, and communicate with persons under the age of eighteen. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Law Enforcement, EMS Workers & First Responders. H. 4234 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 23‑6‑447 so as to provide that the Division of Training and Continuing Education shall offer a mandatory training course on responding to and treating individuals who are epileptic; and by adding § 16‑3‑1070 so as to provide that law enforcement officers, emergency medical services workers, and first responders must provide a certain level of respect for a person and his property when they come into contact with a person, and to provide a penalty for a violation of this section. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Law Enforcement, EMS Workers, and First Responders. S. 921 Senator Thomas: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 23‑23‑75 so as to provide that the Division of Training and Continuing Education shall offer a mandatory training course on responding to and treating individuals who are epileptic; by adding § 16‑3‑1070 so as to provide that law enforcement officers, emergency medical services workers, and first responders must provide a certain level of respect for a person and his property when they come into contact with a person, and to provide a penalty for a violation of this section. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Security. S. 900 Senators McConnell and Knotts: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 23‑3‑16, so as to mandate that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provide security and protection for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, which must not be declined. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

SLED. H. 4261 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 23‑3‑75 so as to provide that the director of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, or his designee, may issue an administrative subpoena for the production of records during the investigation of certain criminal cases that involve financial crimes. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Donor County Advisory Committees. H. 4221 Rep. Miller: A bill to amend § 6‑4‑25, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the establishment, membership, duties, and functions of county and municipal advisory committees making recommendations on the expenditure of revenues of the state accommodations tax, so as to delete the requirement that the members appointed to donor county advisory committees represent the geographic area where the majority of the revenue is derived. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Marion County Board of Education.H. 4169 Rep. Battle: A bill to amend Act 607 of 1986, as amended, relating to the elections of members of the Marion County Board of Education, so as to provide that a person desiring to qualify as a candidate shall file written notice of candidacy at least sixty days before the date set for the election but not earlier than ninety days before the election, to provide that the county commissioners of election shall publish notices of the election as provided in § 7‑13‑35, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, and to provide the nonpartisan plurality method as codified in § 5‑15‑61, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, be required to determine the outcome of the election instead of pursuant to Act 81 of 1977. Referred to Marion Delegation.

Motor Vehicle Accidents. H. 4193 Rep. Cooper: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 6‑1‑180 so as to prohibit a municipality or county, or a unit or agency of it, from imposing a fee or seeking reimbursement of costs or expenses incurred as a result of responding to a motor vehicle accident, to provide exceptions, and to permit a unit of government to seek to collect from another unit of government the reasonable costs incurred for responding to a motor vehicle accident outside its jurisdiction. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Sewer Fee. S. 936 Senator Reese: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 6‑15‑65 so as to provide that a governmental entity may not assess a real property owner a sewer service fee or sewer connection fee in conjunction with or without a bill for the provision of water when the property owner does not use the sewer collection service and has his own septic or sewer system. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Special Purpose Districts. S. 910 Senator Land: A bill to amend § 6‑21‑185 of the 1976 Code, relating to a special purpose district mortgage to secure certain bonds or loans, to remove limitations from the authority of such district to mortgage its property under the revenue bond act for utilities; to add § 6‑17‑95 to authorize a special purpose district providing hospital, nursing home, or care facilities to borrow money in manner that is consistent with § 44‑7‑60; to add § 6‑11‑101 to clarify the powers of hospital districts. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Valley Public Service Authority.H. 4175 Rep. J. R. Smith: A bill to amend Act 476 of 1969, as amended, relating to the Valley Public Service Authority in Aiken County, so as to add two members to the governing board of the authority and to provide for their terms and manner of appointment. Referred to Aiken Delegation.

Magistrates. H. 4278 Rep. Mitchell: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 22‑1‑12 so as to provide for the screening of magistrate candidates by county legislative delegations prior to the governor appointing a magistrate with the advice and consent of the Senate; and to amend § 22‑1‑10, relating to the appointment, certification, and training requirements of magistrates, so as to reference the screening of magistrate candidates by the legislative delegations. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Magistrates. S. 1008 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 22‑1‑15 of the 1976 Code, relating to the effect of increased educational requirements for magistrates currently serving, to provide that the increased education requirements of an associate's and a bachelor's degree not only do not apply to a magistrate serving on the effective date of those increased requirements during his tenure in office, but also to any subsequent term of office following a break in service. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Accidents. S. 977 Senator Lourie: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑225, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the reexamination of a driver involved in four accidents within a twenty-four month period, so as to require reexamination of a driver who has had at least three accidents during a twenty-four month period; to amend § 56‑3‑180, relating to the issuance of special permits by the Department of Motor Vehicles to move vehicles during an emergency, so as to revise the number of permits that may be issued to a vehicle during a year, and the information contained on a special permit; and to amend § 56‑5‑2941, as amended, relating to the installation of an ignition interlock device on the vehicle of a person who has violated a provision that makes it unlawful to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or with an unlawful alcohol concentration, so as to revise the penalty imposed upon a person who is issued a driver's license with an ignition interlock restriction and drives a motor vehicle that is not equipped with a properly operating certified ignition interlock device. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Beginner’s Permit. S. 919 Senator Thomas: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑50, as amended, and § 56‑1‑100, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, both relating to requirements to obtain a beginner's permit to drive, so as to provide that the Department of Social Services may consent to a seventeen year old, in the Department's custody, to obtain a beginner's permit; to amend § 56‑1‑110, relating to imputing negligence and willful misconduct of a minor driving a motor vehicle to the person who signed the application for the minor to obtain the permit or license, so as to exempt the Department of Social Services if the Department signed the application for the minor to obtain the permit or license; and to amend § 59‑39‑320, relating to the State Board of Education promulgating regulations for local school districts to establish driver education and training courses, so as to require local school districts to allow students in the custody of the Department of Social Services to take such courses if a student is eligible and the Department verifies that the student has been approved to participate in the course. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Cell Phones. H. 4282 Reps. D. C. Smith and Owens: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 56‑5‑3890 so as to provide that it is unlawful for certain persons who are operating a motor vehicle to use a text messaging device or a hand-held mobile telephone, and to provide penalties for violating this provision. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Cell Phones. S. 954 Senator Rankin: A bill to amend Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code, by adding Article 49, to provide that it is unlawful for a driver over the age of eighteen to use a wireless telephone or wireless communications device without a hands-free device, to provide that it is unlawful for a driver age eighteen or younger to use a wireless telephone or wireless communications device, to provide that a violation of this section may not be the sole or primary basis for a law enforcement officer to stop a vehicle, to provide for certain exceptions, to provide appropriate penalties and definitions, and to provide for an education program. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Cell Phones. S. 970 Senator Bryant: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 50 to Chapter 5, Title 56, to provide that it is unlawful for drivers to send or read text messages or e-mails, to provide that a violation of this section may not be the sole or primary basis for a law enforcement officer to stop a vehicle, to provide for certain exceptions, to provide appropriate penalties and definitions, and to provide for an education program. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Child Passenger Restraint System. H. 4183 Rep. Sellers: A bill to amend § 56‑5‑6410, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the transportation of a child along the state's highways while restrained in a child passenger restraint system, so as to increase the maximum age of a child who must be restrained in a child passenger restraint system. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Conditional Driver’s Licenses. S. 909 Senator Land: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑50 of the 1976 Code, relating to beginner permits, by adding a new subsection requiring a person who is issued a beginner's permit while under sixteen years of age to hold the permit for at least three hundred sixty-five days before being eligible for a special restricted driver's license, and to provide that beginner permits are valid for eighteen months; to remove any reference to a conditional driver's license from §§ 56‑1‑40, 56‑1‑176, 56‑1‑187, 56‑1‑130, and 56‑1‑185; and to repeal § 56‑1‑175. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Driver’s License Application. S. 967 Senator Bryant: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑80, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to information that a person must submit to the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a driver's license or permit, so as to provide a list of documents that may be submitted to prove the date and place of birth of a person who is at least sixty-five years old. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Driver’s License Reinstatement. H. 4192 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑385, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the reinstatement of a permanently revoked driver's license, so as to provide that certain persons who have had their driver's licenses permanently revoked and who have petitioned the circuit court for reinstatement of their driver's licenses, must serve copies of the petition on both the circuit solicitor and the director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, to provide that the solicitor and the director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, or their designees, may respond to the petition and demand a hearing on the merits of the petition or have the courts consider affidavits submitted by the petitioner and the solicitor, or the director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, or their designees when determining whether conditions for driving privilege reinstatement have been met by the petitioner, and to revise the conditions upon which a driver's license may be reinstated. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Driver’s License Requirements. H. 4186 Rep. Umphlett: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 56‑1‑222 so as to allow certain persons who wear bioptic telescopic lenses for vision assistance to obtain a driver's license. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Driver’s License Suspension. H. 4188 Rep. Sellers: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑745, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the suspension of the driver's license of a person convicted of a controlled substance violation, and the issuance of a special restricted driver's licenses, so as to provide the suspension of a driver's license by the court under this provision is optional and no longer mandatory. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Driver’s License Suspension. S. 945 Senator Grooms: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑360 of the 1976 Code, relating to the form and proof of notice provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles upon the cancellation, suspension, or revocation of a driver's license, to provide that notice must be given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Driver’s Licenses. S. 926 Senator L. Martin: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑30, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to persons who are exempt from obtaining a driver's license, so as to provide penalties for a nonresident who operates a vehicle when his license is suspended, revoked, or cancelled by his home jurisdiction; to amend § 56‑1‑440, relating to penalties for driving without a license, so as to provide additional penalties for a person who violates this section who is convicted of a violation for which suspension or revocation of the privilege to operate a vehicle is mandatory; to amend §§ 56‑1‑745 and 56‑1‑746, as amended, both relating to the suspension of the driver's license of a person convicted of various violations, so as to provide additional penalties for a violation; and to amend § 56‑1‑1020, relating to penalties imposed upon an habitual offender, so as to revise the offenses upon which a conviction causes a person to be labeled an habitual offender. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Golf Carts. S. 930 Senator L. Martin: A bill to amend § 56‑3‑115 of the 1976 Code, relating to golf carts, to require permitted golf carts to operate only within two miles of the address on the registration and to require permits be replaced every five years or at time of address change. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Handheld Wireless Devices. H. 4190 Rep. Sellers: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 56‑5‑3890 so as to provide that it is unlawful for a person to use a handheld wireless communications device while driving a motor vehicle and to provide a penalty for violating this provision; and to amend § 56‑1‑720, relating to the schedule of points assigned to various traffic violations, so as to provide that using a handheld wireless communications device while driving is a two point violation. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Handicapped License Plates. S. 966 Senator Sheheen: A bill to amend § 56‑3‑1910 of the 1976 Code, as amended, relating to license plates for handicapped persons, to provide summary court with jurisdiction over offenses in violation of this section; to amend § 56‑3‑1960, as amended, relating to temporary and permanent parking placards, to provide summary court with jurisdiction over offenses in violation of this section; and to amend § 56‑3‑1970, as amended, relating to parking places designated for handicapped persons, to provide summary court with jurisdiction over offenses in violation of this section. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Moped. H. 4281 Rep. J. M. Neal: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑10, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the definition of certain terms regarding the issuance of driver's licenses, so as to provide a definition for the term "moped"; to amend § 56‑3‑20, relating to the definition of certain terms contained in the "South Carolina Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act", so as to delete the definition for the term "moped"; and to repeal §§ 56‑1‑1710 and 56‑5‑165, both relating to definitions for the term "moped". Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Moped. S. 922 Senator Thomas: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 56‑1‑1715 so as to require the owners of a moped to obtain liability insurance as is required of motor vehicles; and to amend § 38‑77‑30, relating to definitions used in the regulation of automobile insurance, so as to delete the exception of a moped from the definition of "motor vehicles". Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Moped. S. 941 Senator Alexander: A bill to amend § 56‑5‑3720 of the 1976 Code, relating to required equipment for moped use upon state roads, to require that mopeds be equipped with a strobe light for increased visibility. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Motor Vehicle Sunscreen Devices. H. 4184 Rep. Rutherford: A bill to amend § 56‑5‑5015, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to motor vehicle sunscreen devices, so as to revise the permitted level of light transmission for sunscreening devices installed on the windshield, side windows, and rear window of a motor vehicle. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Special License Plates. H. 4280 Rep. M. A. Pitts: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 108 to Chapter 3, Title 56 so as to provide that the Department of Motor Vehicles may issue South Carolina highway patrol-retired license plates. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Special License Plates. S. 943 Senator Grooms: A bill to amend Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code, by adding Article 109, to provide that the Department of Motor Vehicles may issue state flag special license plates. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Special Restricted License. S. 1011 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 56‑1‑180 of the 1976 Code, relating to driver's licenses, to provide that a person with a special restricted driver's license may drive unaccompanied between his home and his place of worship. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Speed Limits. H. 4185 Rep. Rutherford: A bill to amend § 56‑5‑1520, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to maximum speed limits imposed along the state's highways, so as to increase the maximum speed limit that may be posted along interstate highways and freeways. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Text Messages. H. 4259 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 56‑5‑3890 so as to provide that a person may not operate a motor vehicle in motion while text messaging or receiving text messages, or using any form of electronic reading device, and to provide for penalties; and to amend § 56‑1‑720, relating to the schedule of points assigned to various traffic violations, so as to provide that text messaging while driving, second offense, is a two point violation and text messaging while driving, third or subsequent offense, is a four point violation. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Text Messaging. H. 4189 Rep. Bowen: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 56‑5‑3890 so as to provide that it is unlawful to drive a motor vehicle while text messaging, texting, receiving, or reading text messages or printed reading materials, and to provide a penalty. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works.

Text Messaging. S. 991 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code, by adding § 56‑5‑3895, to provide that a person may not operate a motor vehicle while text messaging with a cell phone or other wireless communication device, and to provide for penalties and exceptions. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.

Annexation Proposals. S. 982 Senator Rose: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 5‑3‑145 so as to require a "plan of services" before approval of all annexation proposals; by adding § 5‑3‑160 so as to require a new annexation be consistent with local comprehensive land use plans; to amend § 5‑3‑150, relating to alternate methods where a petition is signed by all or seventy-five percent of landowners, so as to give standing to other persons or entities to bring suit to challenge a proposed or completed annexation, require public notice of a public hearing which is required before acting on an annexation petition; and to amend § 5‑3‑305, relating to definitions used in annexation procedure, so as to define "urban area" and change the definition of "contiguous". Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Municipal Improvement District Act. S. 950 Senator Elliott: A bill to amend §§ 5‑37‑20, 5‑37‑35, 5‑37‑40, as amended, 5‑37‑50, as amended, and 5‑37‑100, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, all relating to the Municipal Improvement District Act, so as to clarify that an easement for maintenance in channels, canals, or waterways is sufficient property interest to proceed with an assessed district; to authorize some portion of the bonds issued to fund assessments may be backed by the taxing power of a municipality; and to provide an exception of an owner of residential property to be required to consent to inclusion in an improvement district when the sole improvements are the widening and dredging of canals. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Microbusiness or Microenterprise. H. 4254 Rep. Dillard: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 13‑1‑1780 so as to define a microbusiness or microenterprise as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation that has fewer than five employees and generally lacks access to conventional loans, equity, or other banking services. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Probate Court. S. 940 Senator Hayes: A bill to amend § 62‑7‑201, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the exclusive jurisdiction of the probate court regulating proceedings concerning the internal affairs of trusts and exceptions to this exclusive jurisdiction, so as to correct a reference regarding matters which may be removed to the circuit court. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Probate Court. S. 940 Senator Hayes: A bill to amend § 62‑7‑201, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the exclusive jurisdiction of the probate court regulating proceedings concerning the internal affairs of trusts and exceptions to this exclusive jurisdiction, so as to correct a reference regarding matters which may be removed to the circuit court. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Acupuncture Act. S. 965 Senator Sheheen: A bill to amend § 40‑47‑760 of the 1976 Code, relating to exemptions from the Acupuncture Act of South Carolina, to add physicians trained to perform acupuncture to the list of exemptions. Referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Contractors. S. 955 Senator Cromer: A bill to amend § 40‑11‑240 of the 1976 Code, relating to qualifications that a contractor must meet for licensure, to require a certificate of workers' compensation insurance coverage; and to amend § 40‑11‑350, relating to evidence of license as a prerequisite to a building permit, to prohibit building permits from being issued to contractors that do not have workers' compensation coverage. Referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Talent Agencies. H. 4235 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Chapter 84 to Title 40 so as to regulate talent agencies and talent agents in this state; to create a South Carolina Board of Talent Agencies and Talent Agents and to provide for the Board members' appointment, terms of office, and appointment of successors, among other things; to provide certain definitions; to prohibit a person from engaging in the work of a talent agency or talent agent without obtaining a license from the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; to provide a procedure for licensure of a talent agency or talent agent; to specify certain obligations of a talent agency or talent agent and conduct prohibited of a talent agency or talent agent, among other things; and to amend § 40‑1‑40, relating to the domain of the Department, so as to add the Board of Talent Agencies and Talent Agents to the list of boards under the domain of the Department. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Flag. H. 4276 Rep. Horne: A bill to amend § 27‑1‑60, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the right of a homeowner or a tenant to display the United States flag on real property he owns or is entitled to use, so as to authorize the display of one portable, removable United States flag in a respectful manner, consistent with 4 U.S.C. Sections 4‑10 and to apply the provision retroactively; and by adding § 27‑1‑70 so as to provide reasonable standards for a structure or pole on which the United States flag may be displayed. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.Tenant. S. 956 Senator Cromer: A bill to amend § 27‑37‑60 of the 1976 Code, relating to a trial for the ejectment of a tenant, to provide that a tenant must post a bond as a condition of requesting a trial, and to provide for the amount of the bond. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Historic Buildings. Rep. Limehouse: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 10‑1‑215 so as to provide that at the request of the legislative delegation of a county in which an historic or architecturally significant building or structure in need of repair is located, which is owned by a state agency or department or by a program or trust administered by the agency or department, the agency shall present within ninety days of the request a plan of renovation to the delegation and to the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee if additional funding is needed to complete the renovations. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Budget. H. 4266 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 11‑11‑87 so as to require the Governor's Annual State Budget Recommendation and the reports of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee on the annual General Appropriations Act to be in a programmatic format by providing a narrative description of each separate program administered by a state agency and to provide the elements that must be included in the narrative; to require the budget recommendation for an agency to include an overall budget recommendation by budget category and a similar recommendation for each separate program administered by the agency and the specific source of funds appropriated for the agency. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Budget. S. 898 Senators McConnell and Peeler: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 11‑11‑85 so as to provide for a zero base budget process beginning with fiscal year 2010-2011. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Commission on Streamlining Government and Reduction of Waste. S. 897 Senators McConnell, Leatherman and Peeler: A joint resolution to create the Commission on Streamlining Government and Reduction of Waste and provide for the membership, powers, duties, and functions of the Commission; to provide a procedure for the submission, consideration, approval, and implementation of recommendations of the Commission; to provide for staff support and finances for the Commission; to provide for cooperation with and support for the Commission; to provide for the applicability of other laws; and to provide for its termination. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Comptroller General. S. 994 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 3, Title 11 of the 1976 Code, relating to the comptroller general, by adding § 11‑3‑250, to provide that the comptroller general shall contract with consultants to conduct recovery audits of payments made on behalf of state agencies to vendors, to provide when an audit is necessary, and to provide the process in which the results of the audit are administered. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Council on Efficient Government Act. S. 984 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Title 11 of the 1976 Code, by adding Chapter 54, to create the Council on Efficient Government, to provide the provide the powers and duties of the Council, to provide the requirements of a state agency proposal to outsource goods or services, to provide for an accounting method to be used by the Council, and to provide exceptions. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Homestead Exemption Fund. S. 1005 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 11‑11‑156 of the 1976 Code, relating to the Homestead Exemption Fund, to define school operating purposes; and to amend § 12‑37‑220, relating to the property tax exemption on taxes imposed for school operating purposes for owner-occupied residential property, to define school operating purposes and to specify that the exemption does not extend to payments made pursuant to a financing agreement. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Private Attorney Retention Committee. S. 989 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 35, Title 11 of the 1976 Code, by adding § 11‑35‑1600, to provide that any state agency entering into a contract for legal services in excess of one million dollars must award the contract by competitive sealed bidding, to create the Private Attorney Retention Committee and to provide for the Committee's duties and powers, to provide the contract review process for legal service contracts in excess of one million dollars, and to provide exceptions. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

State Travel Reimbursement.H. 4176 Rep. King: A joint resolution to impose a moratorium on reimbursements paid in connection with all nonessential state employee travel and associated meals and lodging through June 30, 2010, and to provide that the Office of Human Resources of the State Budget and Control Board shall publish guidelines defining essential travel qualifying for reimbursement. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Taxpayer Protection Act. H. 4232 Rep. Haley: A bill to enact the "South Carolina Taxpayer Protection Act" by amending the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 11‑11‑415 so as to provide that the limit on General Fund appropriations for a fiscal year is the total amount of the General Fund revenue estimate as of February fifteenth for fiscal year 2010-2011, increased annually and cumulatively by a percentage determined by population increases and increases in the consumer price index, to provide for the limitation to be suspended for a fiscal year for a specific amount upon a declaration of financial emergency by the Governor and upon a special vote of the General Assembly and define this special vote, to establish the spending limit reserve fund to which all surplus general fund revenues must be credited and to provide that all revenues in the fund must be refunded to taxpayers by means of temporary tax cuts; by adding § 11‑11‑75 so as to require the annual State Budget to employ a zero-based budget process in both the preparation of the Governor's proposed State Budget and in the General Assembly's consideration of the State Budget; and by adding § 2‑7‑125 so as to require the most recent iteration of the Annual General Appropriations Bill to be available for viewing on the General Assembly's website at least three statewide legislative days before the legislative day the final vote is taken on the bill. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Accountability in Government Act. H. 4271 Rep. Haley: A bill to enact "The South Carolina Accountability in Government Act of 2010" by adding § 8‑13‑776, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 so as to provide that no state or local public official, or his spouse, children, members of his immediate family, or any business or entity with which they are associated, may enter into a contract to provide goods or services to the state or local jurisdiction of which he is a public official, whether or not he as a public official has a direct role in preparing the contract; and by adding § 8‑13‑1121 so as to provide that beginning with the 2010 statements of economic interest filed by members of the General Assembly, the due date for filing is the tenth day of January, and must reflect all transactions required to be reported which occurred in this previous calendar year, and to provide beginning with the 2010 statements of economic interest filed by members of the General Assembly, all sources of earned income also must be reported whether or not derived from public or private sources, and if the member receives fee or retainer income for professional services rendered, this fee or retainer income must be separately itemized by client name and amount. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Power of Attorney. H. 4239 Rep. Miller: A bill to amend § 8‑21‑310, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the schedule of fees and costs collected by county clerks of court and registers of deeds, so as to waive the recording fee otherwise required for a power of attorney filed by a member of armed forces of the United States preparatory to deployment to a combat zone upon presentation of copies of the deployment order, and to define "combat zone". Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Freedom of Information Act. H. 4287 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend § 30‑4‑20, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to definitions used in the "Freedom of Information Act", so as to amend the definition of "public record" to exempt information designated as "law enforcement sensitive for homeland security purposes" by the director of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; to amend § 30‑4‑40, as amended, relating to matters exempt from disclosure by a public body, so as to exempt certain homeland security related information; and to amend § 30‑4‑110, relating to penalties for a willful violation of the Freedom of Information Act, so as to increase the penalty for a willful violation regarding homeland security related information. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Electrical Utility. H. 4274 Rep. White: A bill to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976, by adding § 58‑27‑245 so as to provide that any electrical utility operating in this state in installing power lines through its rights-of-way must comply with all restrictive covenants applicable to real property on or abutting the rights-of-way determined by the public service commission to be reasonable for the protection or enjoyment of the property by the residents thereof. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Public Service Commissioner. H. 4209 Rep. J. R. Smith: A bill to amend § 58‑3‑280, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the prohibition of a former public service commissioner from being employed or retained for a period of one year following his service as a commissioner, so as to extend that prohibition to a five year period. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Judges and Solicitors. S. 906 Senators Leatherman and Land: A bill to amend § 9‑8‑50 of the 1976 Code, relating to service credit in the retirement system for judges and solicitors, to provide that a member upon termination who does not qualify for a monthly benefit may transfer his service credit to the South Carolina Retirement System, and to clarify provisions related to the transfer of earned service credit in retirement plans administered by the South Carolina retirement systems. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.C. Retirement System. S. 925 Senator Thomas: A bill to amend §§ 9‑1‑1140 and 9‑11‑50, both as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to service credit for purposes of the South Carolina Retirement System and South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System, so as prospectively to increase from ninety to one hundred twenty days the amount of unused sick leave for which a member otherwise eligible to retire receives service credit. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Medal of Honor Day. H. 4242 Rep. Limehouse: A concurrent resolution declaring Wednesday, January 20, 2010, "South Carolina Medal of Honor Day" and calling upon South Carolinians to attend events scheduled in Columbia that day at which the women of South Carolina will sign a declaration of gratitude for the service and sacrifices of the holders of the Medal of Honor and at which will be honored and recognized living South Carolina holders of the Medal of Honor. Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.

Veteran’s Day. S. 933 Senators Courson and Knotts: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 53‑5‑40 so as to provide that Veteran's Day must be recognized as a holiday for all local school districts and public schools of the state; and to amend § 59‑29‑120, relating to attendance at veteran's activities, so as to change dates for possible school activities honoring veterans. Referred to the Committee on Education.

Assessment Ratio on Principal Residence. S. 959 Senator Knotts: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 12‑37‑226 so as to provide that the assessment ratio on a homeowner's principal residence shall remain at four percent until the end of the calendar year following the year in which the homeowner vacates the property if the homeowner is attempting to sell the property through a real estate broker or by owner and it remains unsold and not rented; to provide that the provisions of this section shall be construed as providing a property tax exemption from the amount of any property tax increase resulting from the assessment ratio increasing from four percent to six percent and not as providing a change in assessment ratio; and to provide that if the principal residence is sold, rented, or otherwise undergoes an assessable transfer of interest, the applicable assessment ratio shall be determined in the manner provided by law. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

County Property Tax Assessors. H. 4238 Rep. Clemmons: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 12‑37‑95 so as to provide that county property tax assessors must be elected for a term of four years, to provide that the first election must be held at the time of the 2012 general election, to provide qualifications and salary requirements, and to provide transition provisions; and to amend § 12‑37‑90, relating to the duties of the county property tax assessor, so as to make a conforming amendment. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Debt. S. 924 Senator Thomas: A bill to amend § 12‑56‑62, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the notice of intention to set off debt by a claimant, so as to require the first notice to be sent by mailing it by means of certified mail, return receipt requested postal service, and provide if it is returned to the claimant unsigned, it may be sent to the debtor by regular mail. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Debt Collecting Agency Licensing Act. H. 4228 Rep. Cobb-Hunter: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Chapter 12 to Title 37 so as to enact the "Debt Collection Agency Licensing Act" which establishes the licensure and regulation of debt collection agencies by the Department of Consumer Affairs by, among other things, providing licensure requirements, including fees, surety bonds, and record keeping requirements, grounds for denial, revocation, or suspension of a license, license renewal procedures and requirements, including continuing education, debt collection procedures, and civil and criminal penalties for violations. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Department of Revenue. H. 4231 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend § 12‑54‑122, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to tax liens filed by the South Carolina Department of Revenue, exemptions from the lien, tax lien priority, notice requirements, and subrogation of rights, so as to prohibit the Department of Revenue from filing a tax lien to enforce any tax liability the payment of which is the subject of an installment payment agreement between the taxpayer and the Department of Revenue and with which the taxpayer has fully complied. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Extraordinary Retail Establishment. H. 4200 Reps. Cato and Cooper: A bill to amend § 12‑21‑6520, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to definitions for purposes of the Tourism Infrastructure Admissions Tax Act, so as to provide a revised definition for an "extraordinary retail establishment" by including within that definition "an extraordinary tourism establishment" and revise the requirements to qualify as "an extraordinary retail or tourism establishment"; and to amend § 12‑21‑6590, as amended, relating to the designation of an extraordinary retail or tourism establishment by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, so as to delete the limit on such designations, to add additional infrastructure improvement costs which may be included with respect to the construction of such facilities, and to revise the requirements relating to the conditional certification of the qualification on these facilities. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Fair Tax Act. S. 902 Senator McConnell: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Chapter 34 in Title 12 so as to enact the "South Carolina Fair Tax Act", effective January 1, 2011, and to repeal, effective at the same time, Chapters 6, 8, 11, 13, 16, and 36, all of Title 12, relating respectively to the South Carolina Income Tax Act, income tax withholding, the income tax on banks and savings and loan associations, the South Carolina Estate Tax Act, and the South Carolina Sales Tax Act. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Firearms. H. 4220 Reps. M. A. Pitts and White: A bill to amend § 12‑36‑2120, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to sales tax exemptions, so as to reenact the "Second Amendment Recognition Act" exempting firearms sold on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving of every year. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

General Fund. S. 968 Senator Bryant: A bill to amend Chapter 6, Title 12 of the 1976 Code, relating to the South Carolina income tax, by adding § 12‑6‑5062, to provide that taxpayers may make voluntary contributions to the General Fund of the state, to provide that income tax forms must contain a designation for the contribution, to provide that the instructions accompanying the income tax form must contain an explanation of how the additional payment will be used, and to require the Department to report the amount collected pursuant to this section. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Homestead Property Tax Exemption.H. 4180 Rep. Scott: A bill to amend § 12‑37‑250, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the homestead property tax exemption allowed persons over the age of sixty-five years, or disabled, or legally blind, so as to increase the exemption amount from the first fifty thousand dollars to the first one hundred thousand dollars of the fair market value of the homestead; and to amend joint resolution 406 of 2000, relating to supplemental appropriations, so as to delete an obsolete reference of the homestead exemption. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Income Tax Credits. H. 4249 Rep. Gunn: A bill to amend § 12‑6‑3385, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to refundable state individual income tax credits for tuition payments, so as to increase the amount of credit for tuition to four-year institutions to one thousand six hundred fifty dollars and to increase the amount of credit for tuition to two-year institutions to six hundred fifty dollars. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Income Tax Deductions. H. 4230 Rep. Scott: A bill to amend § 12‑6‑1140, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to deductions from South Carolina taxable income of individuals for purposes of the South Carolina Income Tax Act, so as to allow the deduction of retirement benefits attributable to service on active duty in the armed forces of the United States and to phase in this deduction over four years; and to amend § 12‑6‑1170, as amended, relating to the retirement income deduction, so as to conform this deduction to the military retirement deduction allowed by this act. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Income Tax Exemption. S. 1007 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Article 9, Chapter 6, Title 12 of the 1976 Code, by adding § 12‑6‑1165 to exempt from state income tax the taxable income of a resident individual who has attained the age of sixty-five and to allow a married individual who is eligible for the exemption and filing a joint federal tax return with a spouse who has not attained the age of sixty-five to apply the exemption to all taxable income reported on the joint return; and to amend § 12‑6‑1170, relating to retirement income deductions from taxable income of individuals, to delete language allowing an income tax deduction for individuals sixty-five and older. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

License Tax. H. 4233 Rep. Harrison: A bill to amend § 12‑21‑1010, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to definitions for purposes of the beer and wine license tax, so as to conform the definition of "beer" for purposes of this license tax to the revised definition for "beer" provided by law for the regulation of beer and wine sales and consumption. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Military. S. 1000 Senator Rose: A bill to amend Chapter 6, Title 12 of the 1976 Code, relating to income taxation, by adding § 12‑6‑1205 to provide that retirement compensation received for military service to the United States of America is exempt from income taxation. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Palmetto Fair Tax Act. S. 942 Senator Grooms: A bill to amend Title 12 of the 1976 Code, relating to taxation, by enacting the Palmetto Fair Tax Act; to repeal Chapter 6, Title 12, relating to the South Carolina Income Tax Act; to repeal Chapter 8, Title 12, relating to income tax withholding; to repeal Chapter 11, Title 12, relating to income tax on banks; to repeal Chapter 13, Title 12, relating to income tax on building and loan associations; to repeal Chapter 16, Title 12, relating to the estate tax; to repeal Chapter 36, Title 12, relating to the South Carolina Sales and Use Tax; to add Chapter 1 to Title 12, by adding Article 1 to provide necessary definitions and by adding Article 2 to provide for a ___ percent tax on the gross retail sales and use of goods and services, by adding Article 3 to establish the family consumption allowance, the qualifying criteria for the allowance, the manner in which the allowance is calculated, and the manner in which the allowance is distributed, by adding Article 4 to provide for credits, refunds, and exemptions from the tax imposed by Chapter 1, by adding Article 5 to require retailer to obtain a license, to provide for the requirements for licensure, and to provide for the obligations of licensees, and by adding Article 6 to provide for general provisions relating to the collection of taxes imposed by this Chapter, reporting requirements, and otherwise provide for the efficient administration of the provisions of this Chapter by the Department of Revenue; and to repeal §§ 11‑11‑155 and 11‑11‑156. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles. H. 4272 Rep. Merrill: A bill to amend § 12‑6‑3376, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the income tax credit for plug-in hybrid vehicles, so as to revise the definition of "plug-in hybrid vehicle", to raise the aggregate amount of the credit available each fiscal year and delete its expiration date, and to provide that the credit shall be allocated to eligible claimants during a fiscal year on a first-come, first-serve basis. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Property Tax. H. 4179 Rep. Clemmons: A joint resolution to exempt from property tax otherwise taxable value of improvements to real property consisting of unsold and unoccupied commercial structures, individual units in commercial structures, and individual units in residential structures, to provide that the exemption is available for property tax years beginning after 2009 through the earlier of the property tax year in which the property is sold or otherwise occupied or the property tax year ending December 31, 2015, and to provide for the application for the exemption. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Property Tax. H. 4236 Rep. J. E. Smith: A bill to amend § 12‑43‑220, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the classification of property and the applicable valuation assessment ratios for purposes of the property tax, so as to provide that a single-member limited liability company (LLC) owning residential real property where the single member is an individual and the LLC is not taxed as a corporation qualifies for the special assessment ratio allowed owner-occupied residential property if the LLC meets all requirements for that special assessment ratio. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Property Tax Exemptions. S. 983 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 12‑37‑220, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to property tax exemptions, so as to exempt an amount of fair market value of a newly acquired owner-occupied residence sufficient to equal the assessed value of the taxpayer's previous residence if the taxpayer is at least fifty-five years of age, the new residence qualifies as the taxpayer's owner-occupied residence within twenty-four months of the transfer of the previous residence, and if the fair market value of the newly acquired residence is equal to or less than the fair market value of the previous residence. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Real Property. H. 4174 Rep. Harvin: A bill to amend § 12‑37‑3150, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to determining when a parcel of real property must be appraised as a result of an assessable transfer of interest, so as to provide that a conveyance to a trust does not constitute an assessable transfer of interest in the real property if the settlor or settlor's spouse conveys the property to a trust the beneficiaries of which are a child or children of the settlor or the settlor's spouse and to provide that a conveyance by distribution under a will or by intestate succession does not constitute an assessable transfer of interest in the real property if the distributee is a child or children of a decedent and the decedent did not have a spouse at the decedent's date of death. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Real Property. H. 4177 Rep. Umphlett: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 12‑37‑3175 so as to require the transferor of real property receiving the agricultural use classification to provide written notice to the transferee before closing that the property is receiving the agricultural use classification and the transfer may result in the imposition of rollback taxes if the use of the property has been changed by the transferor or will be changed by the transferee. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Real Property. H. 4268 Rep. Bowen: A bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding § 12‑37‑3135 so as to exempt an amount of fair market value of a parcel of real property and improvements thereon as determined by the appraisal resulting from an assessable transfer of interest sufficient to limit the increase in the fair market value of the parcel to fifteen percent of its value on the assessor's books, to provide that fair market value as reduced by this exemption is the value to which the constitutional cap on increases to fifteen percent over five years applies, to provide that this exemption continues until the property undergoes a subsequent assessable transfer of interest and provide that this exemption does not apply to previously untaxed additions or improvements; to amend § 12‑37‑3140, as amended, relating to valuation of real property for purposes of the South Carolina Real Property Valuation Reform Act, so as to make a conforming amendment, to require the property tax assessor to apply the exemption allowed by this exemption to fair market value determined at the time of assessable transfers of interest occurring in 2007, 2008, and in 2009 before the effective date of this act, and to provide that no refund is allowed based on those adjusted values. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Sales Tax Exemptions.H. 4178 Rep. M. A. Pitts: A bill to amend § 12‑36‑2120, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to sales tax exemptions, so as to extend the exemption allowed farm machinery used in planting, cultivating, or harvesting farm crops to machinery and certain vehicles used in commercial animal husbandry and to give this additional exemption retroactive application. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

SC Gross Income. S. 999 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 12‑6‑1120 of the 1976 Code, relating to the computation of South Carolina gross income, to provide that South Carolina gross income does not include amounts received as unemployment benefits. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Supplemental Appropriations. S. 1006 Senator Rose: A bill to amend § 12‑37‑250, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the homestead property tax exemption allowed persons over the age of sixty-five years, or disabled, or legally blind, so as to increase the exemption amount from the first fifty thousand dollars to the first one hundred thousand dollars of the fair market value of the homestead; and to amend joint resolution 406 of 2000, relating to supplemental appropriations, so as to delete an obsolete reference of the homestead exemption. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Tax Credit. S. 918 Senator Leventis: A bill to amend Chapter 6, Title 12 of the 1976 Code, by adding § 12‑6‑3592 to provide a tax credit of twenty-five percent of the purchase cost of a geothermal heat pump system and to define a geothermal heat pump system. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Textiles Community Revitalization Act. S. 928 Senator L. Martin: A bill to amend § 12‑65‑30 of the 1976 Code, relating to the tax credits allowed pursuant to the South Carolina Textiles Communities Revitalization Act, to allow unused credit against state‑imposed taxes to be transferred, devised, or distributed, with or without consideration and require written notice of the transfer to the South Carolina Department of Revenue. Referred to the Committee on Finance.

Water Withdrawal, Permitting, Use and Reporting Act. H. 4285 Rep. Bowen: A bill to amend Chapter 4, Title 49, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the South Carolina Surface Water Withdrawal and Reporting Act, so as to provide that subject to certain exceptions, surface water withdrawals must be made pursuant to a permit, to provide for complete exemptions from the permitting requirement, to provide that registered surface water withdrawers may withdraw surface water without a permit but subject to certain restrictions, to provide for nonconsumptive surface water withdrawal permits, to provide for an application procedure for surface water withdrawers that own and operate a licensed impoundment or new surface water withdrawers that withdraw water from a licensed impoundment, to provide for reports to the Department of Natural Resources from permitted and registered water withdrawers and the contents of those reports, to provide that registered and exempt surface water withdrawers may apply for a surface water withdrawal permit, to authorize nonriparian use of surface water, to provide for a permitting process for new surface water withdrawers, to provide for the contents of the application, to provide for the Department's determination concerning the permit, to provide for public hearings concerning new permit applications for interbasin transfers, to provide for the contents of issued permits and the rights conferred by a permit, to provide for circumstances under which a permit may be modified, suspended, or revoked, to provide for notice to the department concerning certain new water intakes, to provide for temporary permits, to provide authorized withdrawal amounts, to provide for operational and contingency plans, to provide for powers and duties of the Department of Natural Resources concerning implementation of the Chapter, to provide appropriate penalties for violations, to provide for permit application fees; and to repeal Chapter 21, Title 49, relating to the interbasin transfer of water, to provide that Chapter 1, Title 49, relating to general provisions concerning water, water resources, and drainage is not affected by and superseded by Chapter 4, Title 49. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.